Non-Resident Second Amendment Rights after Dearth v. Lynch
| Autor | Steven K. Specht, Michael Piccolo |
| Cargo | Teaching Assistant at Florida State University College of Law (United States of America). Juris Doctor (Florida State University)/Juris Doctor Candidate - Florida State University (United States of America) |
| Páginas | 11-34 |
Licenciado sob uma Licença Creative Commons
Licensed under Creative Commons
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Como citar esse artigo/How to cite this article: SPECHT, Steven K.; PICCOLO, Michael. Non-Resident Second Amendment Rights af-
ter Dearth vs. Lynch. Revista de Investigações Constitucionais, Curitiba, vol. 3, n. 3, p. 11-34, set./dez. 2016. DOI: 10.5380/rinc.
v3i3.48001.
* Teaching Assistant at Florida State University College of Law (United States of America). Juris Doctor (Florida State University).
MasterofArtsinInternationalRelationsandConictResolution(AmericanMilitaryUniveristy).BachelorofScienceinJournalism-Re-
porting (University of Florida). E-mail: sks13d@my.fsu.edu.
** Juris Doctor Candidate - Florida State University (United States of America). Bachelor of Science in Political Science (Florida State
University). E-mail: michael.piccolo19@gmail.com.
Revista de Investigações Constitucionais
ISSN 2359-5639
DOI: 10.5380/rinc.v3i3.48001
Non-Resident Second Amendment Rights after Dearth vs. Lynch
Os direitos da Segunda Emenda de cidadãos norte-americanos
não residentes no país após o Dearth vs. Lynch
STEVEN K. SPECHT*
Florida State University (United States of America)
sks13d@my.fsu.edu
MICHAEL PICCOLO**
Florida State University (United States of America)
michael.piccolo19@gmail.com
Recebido/Received: 19.09.2016 / September 9th, 2016
Aprovado/Approved: 25.10.2016 / October 25th, 2016
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Abstract
Two federal statutes have unwittingly resulted in depriv-
ing nonresident United States citizens of a constitutional
right to bear arms. This article considers the background
of the statutes, the rights and obligations of US Citizens
abroad, and past jurisprudence on the Second Amend-
ment. Through analysis of two types of scrutiny, one can
consider how far to take the right to bear arms and de-
termine how the right to bear arms should be treated for
those who consciously give up permanent residency and
live abroad.
Keywords: Second Amendment; non-resident citizens;
right to bear arms; Dearth vs. Lynch; US Constitution.
Resumo
Duas normas federais têm involuntariamente resultar em
privar cidadãos norte-americanos não residentes no país
do direito constitucional de portar armas. Este artigo con-
sidera o plano de fundo dessas normas, os direitos e obriga-
ções dos cidadãos americanos no exterior e a jurisprudên-
cia existente sobre a Segunda Emenda. Através dessa aná-
lise, pode-se considerar o quão longe deve-se levar o direito
de portar armas e, também, determinar como o direito de
portar armas deve ser tratado para aqueles que consciente-
mente desistem de manter residência permanente nos EUA
e decidem viver no exterior.
Palavras-chave: Segunda Emenda; cidadãos norte-ameri-
canos não residentes no país; direito de portar armas; De-
arth vs Lynch; Constituição dos Estados Unidos da América.
Revista de Investigações Constitucionais, Curitiba, vol. 3, n. 3, p. 11-34, set./dez. 2016.
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Revista de Investigações Constitucionais, Curitiba, vol. 3, n. 3, p. 11-34, set./dez. 2016.
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Steven K. Specht | Mich ael Piccolo
CONTENTS
1. Introduction; 2. The Statutes in question; 2.1. The statutory language; 2.2. Background of the Enact-
ment; 2.3. Denition of a non-resident in the context of acquiring a rearm; 2.4. The Second Amend-
ment rights of non-resident U.S. citizens; 3. Rights and obligations of non-resident U.S. citizens beyond
the Second Amendment; 4. An introduction to the Second Amendment; 4.1. The Second Amendment’s
language: the prefatory clause and the operative clause; 4.2. Second Amendment interpretations; 4.3.
The modern approach under Heller; 5. The case and controversy: Dearth v. Lynch; 5.1. Procedural pos-
ture; 5.2. Facts; 5.3. Two-step approach to evaluate the constitutionality of a law when challenged on
Second Amendment grounds; 6. Applying precedent to the Statutes; 6.1. The potential eect of a long-
standing gun regulation and thus presumptively lawful; 6.2. The Statutes eect on non-resident U.S.
citizens’ Second Amendment rights; 6.3. Applying the Proper Scrutiny; 6.3.1. Constitutionality under
Intermediate Scrutiny; 6.3.2. Constitutionality under Strict Scrutiny; 7. Conclusion; 8. References.
1. INTRODUCTION
The combined power of 18 U.S.C. § 922(a)(9) and 18 U.S.C. § 922(b)(3) makes it
illegal for a nonresident U.S. citizen to purchase or rent a rearm for self-defense pur-
poses. Although the statutes were not specically aimed at nonresident U.S. citizens,
the result is a Congressional decision to eliminate nonresident U.S. citizens’ Second
Amendment rights in favor of giving state gun regulations more bite. A statutory ban
on citizens purchasing rearms outside of their “state of residence” has placed nonresi-
dent U.S. citizens outside of the scope of Second Amendment protections. These laws
are being challenged in Dearth v. Lynch by a plainti who is a U.S. citizen residing in
Canada. He claims that his Second Amendment rights are being infringed by these stat-
utes and consequently, that these statutes are unconstitutional.
This article rst explores how nonresident U.S. citizen’s Second Amendment
rights are aected by the statutes. The statutory language and background are ex-
amined to show how the rights of nonresident U.S. citizens have been dened in the
context of rearms purchases. Next, the article examines legal rights and obligations
of nonresident U.S. citizens abroad. This serves to show that the Second Amendment
rights should not be restricted simply because someone loses residence status in the
United States. Then the paper will analyze Second Amendment jurisprudence. The
analysis rst considers the language of the Second Amendment, the historical jurispru-
dence, and the new paradigm established by District of Columbia v. Heller and subse-
quent cases. After explaining the precedent on Second Amendment issues, the article
will provide an overview of the case in question, Dearth v. Lynch, by presenting the
case’s facts and procedural posture, and then outlining the 2-step approach the D.C.
Circuit uses to analyze Second Amendment challenges. Finally the paper will conclude
with an application of the 2-step approach to the facts of the case and an analysis of
what the potential outcomes could be in the case.
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